Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-07-16
HOW IT ISM MAINE.
HON. NEAL DOW SPEAKS OF THE
WORKINGS OF PROHIBITION.
The Changes that Have Been Made in
the Financial Condition of the
People.

To the American: Upon reading
Mr.. Sparks recent speech at MUIR
freesboro, Tenn, against prohibition,
l addressed letter of inquiry to
Hon. Neal Dow, of Portland, Maine.
The subjoined reply from Mr.. Dow
will explain itself. B. F. HAYNES.
PORTLAND, June 10, 1SS7.-Rev. B.
F. Haynes-Dear sir: Your note of
the 10th is just received, enclosing a.
printed paragraph said to be a part
of a speech of State Senator Hon. j.
w. Sparks. 1t is:
"But l will pass on now to 1857, when
Maine passed what was, and is now known
as the Maine law under the leadership Of
Neal Dow, and this same man, Neal Dow,
after figuring in Prohibition in Maine, and
the country ever since 1851, now says, er
has said recently, in public speeches, that
the whole thing is failure, and that Pro-
nlDlIlon uoes not prompt.
am not a little surprised that
"this same man." j. w. Sparks, did
not provide for a decent retreat from
the statement contained in the few
lines you sent me. If Mr. Sparks
had said, 81 am told So" or "the
newspapers say So" he would have
escaped all responsibility. But he
says it is so. Perhaps Mr.. Sparks
may be surprisedto learn that l never
said that at any time nor any where.
On the contrary l have said a thou
sand times in the newspapers, in the
magazines, and on platforms, that
the Maine law is now, and has been
from the first, a great success.
l. 1t has suppressed every distillery
and every brewery in the State; we
had many Of them.
2. 1t has swept clean of the liquor
traffic more than three-f0urths of the
State, containing more than three
fourths of our population. In all ru-
raj districts and our smaller towns
and villages the traffic in many forms
is practically unknown. An. entire
generation is grown up there never
having seen a saloon, knowing moth
ing of the influences of places where
strong drink is sold. In Maine the
word Failure" as applied to this law
is never heard by anybody, though
we have many who do not like; nor
is it ever seen in any newspaper, ex-
Cept some which come to us from
New York, Ohio, Missouri, Chicago,
Texas, Tennessee, and other places
far away.
3. In 1884, after more than thirty
years experience Of Prohibition, our
people put it into the Constitution by
a majority of 1905, the affirmative
vote being nearly three times larger
than thenegative.
4. Before the enactment ofthe law,
Maine was said to be the poorest State
in the Union, u people spending in
drink the entire taxable property OF
the State in every period of less than
twenty-five years.
5. Names share of the national
drink bill wouldbenow about $13, 000,-
900, but 100000 will pay the cost OF
all the liquor struggled into the State
and sold in violation of law.
6. Maine is now one of the most
prosperous states in the Union. We
save, directly, more than $4,000, 600,
and indirectly as much more, in both
cases, annually, which, but for the
Maine law, would he spent and vast.
ed in drink.
7. In the old rum time, all over the
State, there were obtrusive and often.
sive indications everywhere of power.
ty, dilapidation, and decay. Now.
such symptoms of the liquor curse are
seen nowhere.
s. Our industries are greatly multi.
piled and extended, with abundant
capital with which to run them profit.
ably we have a great deal of outside
capital seeking safe investments in
other states; before the law we Dor.
rowed money of all who were foolish
enough to trust us; now we borrow
of nobody, but lend largely in ex.
change for the securities of other
states, Tennessee being one of them,
as L, personally, know.
8. Prohibition is accepted by alloul
people Is the settled, fixed policy OF
the State it can no more be changed
than can our policy of civil, religious
and personal liberty it is valued. by
our people as our form of government
is and u policy of free, universal
education.
10. Before the Maine law our PEG.
,lo u,nrn chift1nSc tbrif+Iocc Door